Professional Distinction Certificate

Show future employers and principals that you're ready for the next step in starting your career. The Professional Distinction series is designed to help you become the best first-year teacher with a focus on building up your teaching identity and by providing strategies to manage the demands of being a teacher. Students who complete the series are awarded a certificate and signature cord upon graduation, denoting their Professional Distinction status.

The Professional Distinction courses are all designed to fit into your schedule! Courses are only eight weeks long and one credit each. There are in-person, online, and hybrid options available. At least one of the courses below always will be offered every semester (including summer) so adding one to your course load should be a snap!

The courses may be taken in any order. As long as you complete (and pass) at least three of them by the time of graduation, you will earn the certificate of Professional Distinction and be awarded the signature cord.

Courses

Using the tools of neuroscience, awareness, and emotional intelligence, this course provides evidence-based practices for beginning teachers growth and development. This course is a rich, intense and highly interactive experience. It makes deep and complex concepts highly practical and accessible. And the course emphasizes application to each participant’s real personal and professional challenges.

(Good for beginning students)

In this course, students will begin to explore the personal, institutional, political, and cultural forces that impact the lived experience of being a professional teacher. Possible key questions for reflection include: How does self-knowledge help teachers positively shape their professional lives? How does school culture shape the day-to-day life of teachers and how do you identify a school culture that is right for you? How does the current emphasis on standardized testing impact the life of a teacher and how can teachers positively respond to this? What does it mean to be a "role model" and what are the challenges and opportunities presented by this social role? What does community mean and how are teachers participants in and facilitators of positive community? Exploration of these questions will occur through student centered, hands-on, and interactive classroom activities

(Good for beginning students)

This course is designed to assist the transformation from student to teacher, but not just reinforcing what students are learning in the Teacher Education Program, but by complementing education classes with experiences and discussions with classroom teachers and other education professionals. Taken entirely at the student's pace, the class utilizes the ATLAS resource library to examine effective teaching strategies, and includes attendance at live School of Education professional development events.

(Ideally taken in the semester or year prior student teaching placement)

Designed to help students understand the job search process for K-12 entry level teaching positions, including the following phases: determining employment outlook for major; limiting geographical area for job search; developing materials for job search, including resume, cover letter, and portfolio; registering with Career Connections.

(Ideally taken when you're getting close to or concurrently with student teaching placement)

School of Education

Professional Distinction Certificate